Filibuster right saved?

[davidinalameda]

http://www.wvgazette.com/section/Editorials/200505233

THANK heaven, a last-minute compromise — negotiated partly by Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va. — prevented majority Republicans in the U.S. Senate from ending the right of minority senators to block some presidential nominations through nonstop oratory.

If Republicans had proceeded today to ban filibusters, as planned, the majority GOP would have gained greater domination of Washington and the U.S. government. Few checks would have remained in the checks-and-balances system. President Bush might have been free to take extreme actions, and outnumbered Democrats in Congress would have little power to resist.

Unfortunately, the Monday night compromise consists mostly of Democrats agreeing to shut off debate, allowing some of Bush’s unfit nominees to become U.S. judges.

[louis-t]

1. filibuster right postponed

This will come up again the first time Dems try to use filibuster.

[Thrasybulus]

2. What's to prevent Frist

from simply scheduling a vote for one of the judges that were excluded from the agreement?

Then we are back at square one and something would have to give.

Hoping for a Republican implosion as the rabid right goes after the compromisers.

Maybe they force Chaffee into pulling a Jeffords. Or maybe not.

[bemildred]

3. There was NO CHANGE in the Senate rules. nt